Louise Cooper

Thousands of people have been urged to contact Hotpoint after police revealed the Grenfell Tower fire started in a faulty fridge-freezer manufactured by the company.

Hotpoint said 64,000 units of the same model were made between 2006 and 2009, when they were discontinued, adding that the number in circulation would be lower given the time period involved.

Scotland Yard has raised concerns with the government over the fridge-freezer, but said the FF175BP model had never been subject to a product recall.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has ordered an immediate examination of the unit by technical experts to establish the cause of fault.

It added that there is “no specific reason” for people with one of these fridge-freezers to switch them off pending further investigation.

Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “The device is being subject to immediate and rigorous testing to establish the cause of the fire.

I have made clear to the company that I will expect them to replace any item without delay if it is established that there is a risk in using them.”

The department advised consumers not overload plugs, ensure sockets are not damaged and to check cables and leads are in good condition.

Consumers who believe they may have a Hotpoint fridge-freezer with model number FF175BP or FF175BG have been encouraged to call a freephone hotline on 0800 316 3826 or visit hotpointservice.co.uk/fridgefreezer to register their details.

A Hotpoint spokesman said: “Words cannot express our sorrow at this terrible tragedy. We offer our most profound condolences to the victims, those who have lost loved-ones, homes, and possessions, and to their friends and families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved, including the emergency services who risked their lives to extinguish the blaze and rescue those in the building.

“We have just been informed that the fire may have originated in a Hotpoint fridge-freezer (model number FF175BP).

“We are working with the authorities to obtain access to the appliance so that we can assist with the ongoing investigations. Under these circumstances, we are unable to speculate on further details at this time.

“We are addressing this as a matter of utmost urgency and assisting the authorities in any way we can. We will provide additional updates as our investigations progress.”